Ethnic Discourses in the Polish Chronicles in 12th-14th Centuries

In this paper, the problematic of the formation of "ethnic" ideas in the Middle Ages is raised. It is assumed that the specific nature of ethnic discourses, it is necessary to derive from the concepts of "gens" and "natio". And the experience of the "Vienna School of Historical Ethnography" is considered, the relevance of which is planned to be tested in relation to the Polish lands. The study plans to study ethnic discourses in the culture of Poland, which were reflected in the Polish chronicles of the XII-XIV centuries. For the study of ethnic discourse, the relevant terms (gens, natio, populous, patria, terra, regio) are chosen, which are used to designate groups of the population and determine the meaning of the chronicler. Terminological analysis is the basis of our approach. The understanding of the meanings of these terms is achieved through an analysis of the context in which they are used, provided that stability is applied in their application.